William henry baker



(No Model.) I

W. H. BAKER.

DESK.

Patent ed Apr. 26,1898.

' U ITED ST T S PATENT EEIcE.

- formed in the vertical WILLIAM HENRY BAKER, oE PARKERsBURe, WEST VIRGINIA, AssIeNoR TO THE BENTLEY'dt GERWIG FURNITURE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,162, dated April 26, 1898.

7 Application filed November 8, 1897- Serial No. 657,845. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HENRY BA- KER, residing at Parkersburg, in the county of Wood and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Desks, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to an improvement in desks.

The object of my invention is to construct what may be termed a knockdown desk, made of sections which can be readily put together and the parts rigidly united and yet easily separated for shipping purposes.

The features of my invent-ion are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure l is bottom plan view of the desktop. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the cabinet portion of the desk in position to receive the top. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the cabinet-sections. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the fastening-catches. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one end of the kneerail. Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.

A (see Fig. 3) represents one of the cabinetsections. 3 represents the opposite'cabinet section,which is the counterpart of section A. Said cabinet-sections are provided with mortises a b, and the cabinet-section B is pro vided with a similar set of mortises c, which are pierced in the cross-rail of said cabinetsections, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

0 represents catches which enter into the mortises before specified.

D represents knee-rails, each of which is a counterpart of the other and constructed as follows:

d represents tenons which enter mortises e,

sections.

H represents hooks secured to the inner faces of said knee-rails. These hooks enter mortises h, formed in the vertical rails E, as shown 'in Figs. 2 and 3. A pin is inserted through each of said mortises h, and over this pin the catch F of the hooksHengage. These knee-rails are inserted in the top of said mortises h e, and as they are pressed down the inclined faces of the hook F draws the two cabinet-sections rigidly together. The combined holes.

'ears Gr.

rails of the cabinet tenon and hook fastenings form a very rigid lock-joint, securing the two cabinet-sections rigidly in position the proper distance apart. The left-hand cabinet-section B is provided with ears G, which are provided with screw- The desk-top T is pierced with screwholes J, coincident with the screw-holes of The desk-top is applied in the following manner: It is placed on top of the cabinet- .sections with the hooks O to the left of the brings the screw-holes J into coincident position with the screw-holes of ears G. Screws are then introduced through said ear-holes in the ordinary manner of attaching screws, thus rigidly securing the top to the cabinet-sections. The screws hold the top from lateral displacement. Thecatches 0 hold the top rigidly down upon the cabinet-sections, and the top secures the knee-braces in position and prevents their displacement.

There are a great many advantages obtained by my method of constructing desks. The cabinet-sections and the top and kneebraces are all finished and polished separately, which economizes a large amount of space in the factory. In the ordinary method of constructing desks the top has to be attached to the cabinet-sections before the desk is shipped and the sections are not made readily detachable from each other. As a consequence a lot of finished desks occupy a very large space in the wareroom as well as in the freight-cars for shipping. Besides the tops of the desks are apt to be marred in shipping and handling, whereas by my method of shipping they are much more easily and compactly packed and are less liable to injury in shipping.

Another important advantage is that the large desks are much easier carried into and set up in office-rooms, the sections being readily passed through a door which would notadmit the finished desk, and they are very readily taken apart and set up.

It is apparent that at least one-third of the space required for shipping the ordinary finished desk is economized by the use of my knockdown desk, hence resulting in a corresponding saving of the cost of shipping.

ICO

Having described my invention, what I A, B, provided with mortises a, b, c, and ears claim is G, the top T, provided with catches 0 adapted 1. The combination of the cabinet-sections to engage said mortises, and clamping-screws A 13 provided with inortises a b c and having for securing said top to said ears, substan- I 5 5 Vertical rails E provided at the top with mortially as specified.

tises h c, the knee-rails D having tenons d to In testimony whereof I have hereunto set engage the lnortises e and hooks H to engage my hand.

in the inortises 7L, and the top T having its W'ILLIAM IIEN RY BAKER. under side provided with catches C to engage lVitnesses: [0 the inortises a b a, substantially as described. M. M. MITOHEL,

2. I11 combination with the cabinet-sections OLIVER B. KAISER. 

